Without Announcement, Iranian Military Holds Air Defense Exercises in Natanz . City

DUBAI – Air Defense Unit Iran fired missiles as part of exercises on Saturday (4/12/2021), over downtown Natanz, which houses nuclear installation . As reported by Iranian state television, local residents reported hearing a large explosion.

The television station said air defense units fired missiles to test the rapid reaction force over Natanz. “Such exercises are carried out in a completely safe environment and there is no cause for concern,” Army spokesman Shahin Taqikhani told TV.

Read: Explosions Heard Near Iran’s Natanz Nuclear Facility

Iranian news agencies previously reported a large explosion in the sky over Natanz, but said there was no official explanation for the incident.

The semi-official Fars news agency quoted its reporter in Badroud as saying a brief explosion was heard accompanied by a bright light in the sky.

In April, Iran accused arch-foe Israel of sabotaging the key Natanz nuclear site and vowed revenge for what appeared to be the latest episode in a long-running secret war.

Read: Iran: Nuclear Treaty Talks in Vienna Without Significant Progress

Israeli media have quoted an unnamed intelligence source as saying that the country’s Mossad spy service carried out a successful sabotage operation on the Natanz underground compound, potentially delaying enrichment work there for months. But Israel has not officially commented on the incident.

Israel opposed the original 2015 Iran nuclear deal with world powers, which aimed to curb Iran’s nuclear program in exchange for the lifting of sanctions against Tehran, as too limited in scope and duration.

Israeli leaders have long threatened military action against Iran if they view diplomacy as a stalemate for denying it a nuclear weapon.

(esn)

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